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Vernon RBC Cup bid moves ahead

Vernon’s bid for the 2014 RBC Cup Canadian Junior A Hockey Championship has taken another step forward.

Printed and electronic versions of a 102-page bid document have been submitted to B.C. Hockey, which has forwarded the bid to Hockey Canada for consideration. The bid was accompanied by a bid fee of $2,500 and a refundable surety cheque of $5,000.

The Vernon bid committee also has found an organization to underwrite any potential losses incurred by the event. That organization and its CEO prefer to remain anonymous, said Mike Lane, co-chair of the Vernon bid committee.

The British Columbia Hockey League, which has encouraged Vernon’s bid, wrote a letter of support on Dec. 7. Commissioner John Grisdale and the league remain firmly behind Vernon’s application.

“As a six-time national champion, the Vernon Vipers Hockey Club in partnership with the City of Vernon will be the ideal host team and city leading to what I believe will be the most successful RBC Championship ever,” said Grisdale.

Bid committee co-chair Chris Collard is very pleased by the response to the committee’s call for donations toward mounting the bid.

“We’ve received support from close to 300 people,” says Collard.

“Their contributions have allowed us to pay the bid fee and will cover the costs of producing and delivering an oral and multimedia presentation to Hockey Canada.”

The City of Vernon has agreed to cover the $5,000 surety cheque. If Vernon is awarded the 2014 tournament, the bid committee will need to find sponsors for three further surety cheques of $15,000 that will be due this September, next September, and in April 2014.

Stuart Fransbergen, a long-time Viper volunteer, won the draw for the signed Aaron Volpatti jersey.

Draws for Vipers season tickets will be made at Vipers home games on Thursday and Saturday, and the team-signed Vipers jersey draw will happen on March 4.

The bid committee will continue to accept donations at Vipers home games, at Chris Collard’s Sun Life office, and online at https://www.registrationlogic.com/secure/Register.aspx?ID=146.

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